


No Guidance

by BabyChocoboAlchemist



Series: Dance Central Versus [1]
Category: Dance Central (Games)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Glitch becomes badass, Glitch is of age, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Rape/Non-con, Post Dance Central Spotlight, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape/Non-con Elements, Self-Discovery, This Series Won't Leave Me Alone, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:33:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25374730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyChocoboAlchemist/pseuds/BabyChocoboAlchemist
Summary: “See, the thing is, I ain’t been able to get him out of my mind lately. I still got some work t’do when it comes t’ Coy, I know that...and I never thought I’d be sayin’ this, but...I think it’s about time for me to head in a new direction.Aaaaandthatain’tthe reaction I was hopin’ for.”Glitch/Mo/Maccoy. It's been a while since the end of Dance Central Spotlight. No one has heard from Dr.Tan in ages, and DCI has been on an indefinite hiatus. Unfortunately, life is anything but calm for Moliah Brea. After barely enduring a violent end to his relationship with Coy, Mo spends years believing he'll never be able to give himself to someone else. And getting over Coy is no easy task. Can Mo find the courage to confess to Glitch? If he does, will Glitch accept his feelings, or will the past get in the way?There's no time to think. A rivalry is about to come to a head, a reunion is right around the corner, and all move quickly into a new era.(Named after the Chris Brown and Drake song, No Guidance. Written by the founder of Route-Rendez-Vu, an old Dance Central group on DeviantArt.)
Relationships: Angel/Rasa (minor relationship), Glitch/Mo (Dance Central), Oleksander "MacCoy" Macko/Mo
Series: Dance Central Versus [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/643385
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. Beachfront

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. Thank you for reading this adventure of mine. If you happened to read Halfcrazy, you may recognize elements of that piece in here. It's because three years later, this series and that storyline just won't leave me alone. After thinking about the series today, and realizing that Halfcrazy was posted THREE years ago, I decided to FINALLY get these ideas out of my system. The world was completely different when I wrote Halfcrazy, and Dance Central STILL won't leave me alone? Time to take another shot at this.
> 
> Fortunately, several chapters of this round have already been mapped out. And I HAVE been carrying this storyline around for YEARS now, so no worries. :) It'll be all good.
> 
> This project, like Halfcrazy was, is apart of my 'Dance Central Versus' series. It's a play on Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which slept in limbo for YEARS before it finally became Final Fantasy XV.
> 
> Thank you for coming. Stay safe, my dears.

The weight of the world rests on Mo’s shoulders. 

An afternoon walk to the Beachfront Cafe isn’t as nearly as peaceful as it is for others, despite the free-flowing sunshine and abundant birdsong. He is in a world a billion miles away from the others, despite being so close, despite walking the same earth as everyone else. His mind keeps him far away from the jubilant chatter and much lighter agendas riding on everyone else’s shoulders, carrying what must be no less than a thousand memories. The nearby laughter and twinkling eyes of bike riders, couples and solo beach visitors slide off him, like rain dancing off a windowpane.

He is one of an ethereal aura, Moliah Brea, born with beauty that transcends all genders. He is dressed in his finest afternoon attire, glowing very much like the sun, despite a dark rain cloud sitting on his shoulders. The storm cloud riding on his shoulders darkens his otherworldly glow, alerting the world of a soul burdened with worry. Every step he takes causes his mind to spin, every breath takes him closer to a monumental change. He’s in a place he never thought he’d be, walking towards his friends’ favorite cafe with a confession in mind, head spinning as he steps closer to revealing an intimate secret. With his track record, he should be used to monumental challenges and earth-shattering decisions-but the decision he’s about to make isn’t one to take lightly. It was years in the making, planted after the darkest period of his life, and suddenly taking flight, filling in the void like the sweetest lyrics to the hippest beat.

A thousand memories take the form of a magnificent, overpowering tidal wave and crash onto him. Life has been a nightmare and a fairy tale rolled up into one electrifying experience, giving him plenty to think about. It’s been months since Dance Central Spotlight came to an end, and it’s been even _longer_ since Dr.Tan last made an appearance-all of which only serves to make Mo even more anxious. They’re all still hard at work, the crews, kicking ass and taking names as they take the dance floor-just not as a part of Dance Central Intelligence. Battles against Dr.Tan and his minions, encountering Oblio in the timestream, world tours, talk shows, interviews-it all seems like a distant dream. Being born to lead Dance Central Intelligence in the future-also something that contributed to the dream-like state of his life. If someone had told a much younger Mo that he was born to lead a dancing team of superheroes against a diabolical doctor and his robots? Would’ve seemed cool, thanks to all of the comic books and Saturday morning cartoons he ate up, but it would’ve been just that-a cool dream. A cool ‘what-if’ scenario.

Mo Brea is living in a Saturday morning cartoon.

It started off easily enough. Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a young man named Mo agreed to date his long-time friend Maccoy. Things were pretty cool between the two of them for a while-they moved out of their parents’ home, got their own place, made their apartment the sweetest little pad and rocked it. They rocked it out with their friends on the dance floor, making sure the world saw all of their hottest moves. No one could have found a happier couple. How couldn’t they be happy? They were, after all, friends with each other for ten years. Mornings were spent at school, afternoons were spent perfecting their dance moves, evenings were spent on perfecting even more dance moves (at the expense of Maccoy’s homework). They shared the same dream of becoming a world-famous dancer, loved to rock it out on the dance floor, and fell deeper in love with life. But then, long story short, things escalated, turned into Hell on Earth, and broke Mo into a million little pieces. A million little bleeding, screaming, confused pieces. 

Not to say that those pieces still don’t hurt, but they hurt a little less now.

Stumbling upon a tiny street dancer helped to numb the pain. Months after everything went to pot with Coy, in the worst ways imaginable, Mo stumbled upon a young dancer he eventually dubbed ‘Glitch’. His friends doubted he was in any shape to look after a tiny young man, when he could barely manage to get out of bed, but Mo was adamant about making his new friend a part of home. The painfully shy Glitch quickly became a welcome part of Mo’s life and a dance partner he couldn’t hit the floor without. In a couple of weeks, his initially-skeptical friends saw a vast improvement in Mo’s mood and grew grateful for the tiny dancer. A couple of years and a fairy tale later-

Mo Brea’s on his way to reveal a pretty deep secret to Bodie and Emilia. About that same partner. About the young man that has become an inextricable part of his life.

The Beachfront Cafe’s entrance is several feet in front of him. He sighs and shuts his eyes, preparing himself to cross over into another world. He soon opens the door and walks into a world that entices all entrants with clam chowder, bread bowls and fries. Seashells adorn a world of blue and white, fitting in nicely with the beach that’s minutes away. The cafe is hosting a mass of happy, carefree customers, but it takes only a few seconds for him to find his friends, thanks to the warm greeting they shout out from their table. “Thanks for meetin’ me here,” he tells them with a smile, after returning their greeting. It is in moments he takes a seat across from Bodie.

The two of them immediately melt over Mo, as they have done many times throughout the years. “Don’t worry about it, sweet pea,” Emilia tells him, beaming as though her old friend is a newborn furry creature, something soft and cuddly. Her voice is soft with concern, though, as she fears something’s wrong. Bodie shares her concern. “We wouldn’t have missed you for the world,” he assures his friend. “Want anything? Pretty sure you’ll fall head over heels for this place’s clam chowder.”

Mo frowns, wringing his hands against each other. “I’m good, B. Maybe after I get what I need to get off my chest, y’know?”

The young brunette sitting beside Bodie doesn’t waste a second in asking: “Is it about Coy?”

Mo shakes his head, his smile bittersweet, anxious. “This is gonna surprise you as much as it surprises _me,_ but nah, it ain’t about him this time. It’s about our boy G.”

The two halves of Riptide stiffen, exchanging worried looks. While Maccoy not being at the forefront of Mo’s mind is a relief, Glitch hasn’t been a particularly easy topic to deal with lately either. The young breaker has blossomed into something bold and beautiful, sure-just as ethereal as his older counterpart. The years have definitely been kind to Mo’s partner, molding him into a slender, one-of-a-kind beauty that takes names and kicks ass on the dance floor. But lately, something’s been clear-Glitch could easily take off on his own, make his own name for himself-maybe even start his _own_ crew. All possibilities that weigh heavily on his mentor’s shoulders, very much like the final hours of a prestigious DJ’s career. Has he become even more worried about Glitch taking off on his own?

“See, the thing is, I ain’t been able to get him out of my mind lately. I still got some work t’do when it comes t’ Coy, I know that...and I never thought I’d be sayin’ this, but...I think it’s about time for me to head in a new direction. _Aaaaand_ that _ain’t_ the reaction I was hopin’ for.”

Upon hearing how his friend wanted to ‘head in a new direction’, Bodie sprayed lemonade onto their table. Emilia’s face became a portrait of horror. Quickly realizing they were heading into delicate territory, the two of them quickly exchange panic-stricken glances, then the young woman launches into an explanation.

“There _miiiight_ be a little bit of a problem with you having feelings for Glitch, sweetie.”

Bodie jumps in after her. Several words in, Emilia puts her forehead in the palm of her hand and mutters: “This is awkward.”

“See, I mean, it _would_ be a-okay if...well….if Glitch hadn’t come to us and bawled his eyes out about forgetting you because you were still working things out with Coy and he didn’t want to get in the way of anything so he kinda decided to, you know, move on. I mean he _did_ kinda sorta REALLY have feelings for you, buuuuut….”

“You _might_ want to tread lightly on this one, Mo,” Emilia warns him, her voice gentle, loving. She takes one of the Brea’s hands. “Glitch made it pretty clear to us he’s not at all interested in getting hurt. We love you, you _know_ we do. We’d die for you in a heartbeat. But we also love and would die for Glitch. So if you’re even a _little_ unsure about moving into the future, you _might_ want to take a step back.”

“Sorry we didn’t tell you, Chief,” her partner shrugs, looking very much like a wounded animal. “But we were sworn to secrecy.”

Glitch’s partner chuckles, eyes twinkling like fireflies against the night. A thousand memories embrace him all at once, stirring up affection, the fondness soulmates share. Mo has been at the end of the world with this crew, has been through Hell with this crew, and couldn’t be more grateful to them for all of the support. The good times, being led through the bad times, the ups, the downs. “Don’t worry about it, B,” the breaker tells him, waving off his old friend’s distress. Mo’s brown eyes are at their warmest, but they’re also sad, worried, excited.

“I get it. Nanobyte asked you to put a lid on some shit. I feel you. But when did _this_ happen? You tellin’ me G had it for me?”

Emilia rubs her arm, gentle nervousness spreading across her face. “Yeeeeeah. Remember when we joined DCI? You know, Rasa? Lima? The first and last defense against dance crimes? That whole shebang? Yeah, it was kinda back then. I’m not too sure about now, though. I know he cares about you more than _anything,_ Mo. You’re his whole world. Always have been. We just want you to be at least a _little_ careful. If you even _think_ about Coy after telling Glitch how you feel about him, you may _not_ be able to get him back on your team.”


	2. What goes around...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sun sets as Glitch and Mo share their feelings on the past, present and future. There's a difference in opinion when it comes to the future, and Mo finds that certain feelings are spiraling out of control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Thank you very much for being here. Welcome to another edition of ‘This Series Apparently Won’t Leave Me Alone, Even Though It’s Been Asleep for a Thousand Years’. 
> 
> A snapshot of what’s going: it’s been years since Spotlight. The canon established by the Oculus release of Dance Central is not a thing, because Glitch is of age and Mo’s in training to become the future commander of Dance Central Intelligence. No one’s heard from Rasa or Lima in a really long time. Mo was friends with Coy for a decade before they agreed to date, then everything fell apart in the worst ways imaginable, for reasons Mo can’t understand. 
> 
> In the hopes of me attracting one of the series’ old fans, my Mo was and still is affectionately referred to as ‘Princess Mo Brea’. I used to run a Dance Central group on DeviantArt called Route-Rendez-Vu, 
> 
> Thank you for being here, my dears. Please enjoy.

Once upon a time, in a far away land, a Princess unlike any other was born. Instead of a blindingly beautiful young woman, the Princess was a breathtaking young man with a heart of gold. A stunner that dazzled on and off the stage, marveled at his mother’s record player, and took every opportunity to dazzle the neighborhood kids with his dancesteps. Not one soul was oblivious to the Princess of Dance’s moves, and all were entranced by his equally charming, warm voice.

Much like every other Princess, Mo Brea was born with a wide variety of oddities and quirks. Traits that helped him to stand out from the crowd like a meteor rising against the stars. When he was younger, he adored The Gap Band and Saturday morning cartoons. He was always found dancing after the sun burrowed underneath its covers, working his hardest to make a name for himself. But while many of his traits drew many to him, quite a few of them bothered his friends-and still do. One of his worst traits? One of the traits that got him into the most trouble with his friends?

Drowning himself in a sea of thought.

Not that anyone could blame him, though, what with him being born to lead Dance Central Intelligence and carrying feelings for an ex-boyfriend. Being thrown into a battle of cosmic proportions, when you were simply raised on comic books and Saturday morning cartoons, was enough to throw anyone out of orbit. He hasn’t seen that boyfriend in a while, and Dance Central Intelligence has been taking a nap for quite some time now, but things are even more complicated than they ever were. Throw in a brand new set of feelings for his once-tiny protege, and an increasingly intense pile of nerves towards DCI’s silence, and there you have it: a boiling cauldron of complicated feelings and migraines. Sitting still was never and still isn’t one of Mo’s strong suits, even as the afternoon wanes on. 

He’s sitting right outside of his apartment-the apartment he shares with Glitch-on the sidewalk. The golds and blues of the afternoon are melting into the horizon, allowing the pinks and purples of evening to replace them. Despite the oncoming calm, though, he finds it impossible to relax. Putting his finger on it is impossible, but everything about the silence-the calm-unsettles him. It’s nothing to take lightly, even as the day ends, bringing in the promise of stillness. This particular Princess has always been prone to overthinking-Taye has always chided him for thinking himself into an early grave. But the quiet grants him too much of the dancefloor, and when the floor is involved, there never is a moment’s peace. But it isn’t just about Dr.Tan’s silence, or Dance Central Intelligence being on indefinite hiatus. It isn’t even about Coy falling off the face of the Earth-which said a lot, because Maccoy was responsible for quite a few mental tornadoes going off in Mo’s mind. A much greater concern is weighing heavily on his shoulders, sitting in the air like the final hours of a band’s last concert. It’s-

“Yo. You okay out here, Mo?”

Sharing an apartment with the young man he’s fallen in love with.

  


The more experienced breaker peers up at Glitch. Slender, nimble Glitch, dressed yet again in his finest. Gentle, concerned eyes peer down at him, waiting for answers, knowing full well that ‘yeah, I’m fine’ won’t cut it, because they’ve been through far too much together. There’s never been any shortage of concern or devotion in those eyes. Only one of the many traits that helps Mo feel at home whenever his protege is around. But then again, Glitch has succeeded in tying the other’s stomach into about a thousand and one knots because of the braid and his clothes and eyes and-

“Yo, Earth to Mo. You still with me?”

Mo’s eyes flutter, signaling his return to the present as he temporarily left behind a vortex of thought. “Yeah, sorry about that, baby,” he tells the other. He inwardly kicks himself over the use of a pet name-the same pet name he’s used about fifty times that week. Luckily, for some reason, Glitch brushes off the cutesy name. He takes a seat beside him, the sun framing his naked shoulders beautifully, just as snowflakes grace a winter’s lake. He is frozen in time for a fleeting moment, very much like the perfect beat on pause, or the sweetest verse lingering in Mo’s mind. No longer is he the ‘Nanobyte’ Mo met so many years ago-but then again, so much has changed, so many beats have passed, and he’s left holding a rhythm he can’t work with. To make matters worse, his protege sees right through him. Very much like Wolverine cutting through everything and everyone with his claws. He narrows his eyes at his mentor, thinks for a moment, and hits Mo with: 

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ve been pretty out of it. I mean, like, way out of it. All day. Wanna clue me in on what’s up?”

Realizing he’s trapped, Mo throws water on his smile. He scrambles for a way out, but knows he’s screwed. The look on his partner’s face reminds him that there’s no way around that question. So the only thing left to do? Tell him the truth-but only _part_ of it. “I dunno, man,” he shakes his head. “You just came back from th’ ring, right?” A reference to a local hang out, a place where crews and solo dancers strut their stuff and take names. Glitch visits the ring often, shining like a comet against a sea of ordinary stars. 

Glitch visits the ring often. Without Mo.

The younger dancer beside him frowns, confusion distorting his face. “Yeah…? Hold up-this ain’t about you goin’ crazy on me again, is it?” A shot at Mo frequently worrying about his protege taking off. Without him. It had only happened about fifty times that week-Glitch hitting the streets and taking names, Mo all the while wondering if his protege was going to become ‘former protege’. But the Brea’s calculations never made and will never make any sense in Glitch’s mind. “C’mon, Momo,” Mo’s other half groans, rolling his eyes, wisps of his black hair spilling out of his braid.

“How many times are we gonna go _over_ this? I ain’t goin’ anywhere. You know this. You know _me.”_

Mo grimaced, feeling the last two lines in his bones. It’s as if someone struck the morning bell right in his ears, and the sound is reverberating, echoing through every nook and cranny of his body with a vengeance. Of course he knows Glitch. Knowing Glitch has led to him being hopelessly in love with Glitch. He knows Glitch and knows he’s different from Maccoy in a thousand different ways, all of them exhilarating, wonderful, appreciated. But the fear’s there, loud and clear. “I _do_ know you, G, but at th’ same time, you can’t blame me fer feelin’ this way,” the Brea admits, then grimaces because there go Wolverine’s claws again, taking another swipe at him. He reminds himself of his lunch with Emilia and Bodie, how Glitch had feelings for him _once,_ how a certain someone has to exercise caution when confessing- _if_ he confesses. Or else that someone will ruin everything they’ve built. All the while a certain someone continues to have feelings for someone that wrecked, ravaged and ruined him in the worst ways imaginable. Doesn’t help that they haven’t seen each other in far too long. Where _is_ Coy, anyway? Tan’s been silent, Coy’s been out of the picture, Glitch is just so damn close-

Yeah-a train wreck and a scattered deck of cards.

Meanwhile, Glitch is letting him know he’s steering the conversation in the _wrong_ direction. Mo keeps a hold of the wheel, trying to get his point across, even though a certain someone’s glare intensifies with every word. “You know better than anyone how far you’ve come, babe,” he tells him, and oops, there goes another pet name. “Wouldn’t you be better off-a’ight, a’ight, I’ll drop it. I’ll drop it.”

The glare intensifies, perfectly framed by the falling sun and rising moon, just as piercing as the night. 

“I dunno, I just thought-”

“I thought we were dropping this.” Straightforward. Piercing. Menacing. Glitch has a way of letting Mo he’s not playing around, and it usually kicks in whenever Mo’s being an idiot about his well-being. Emotional well-being, physical well-being, nothing’s off the table. And while everything about that moment is menacing, everything about it is also breathtakingly _sexy._ Sexy enough to make Mo want to-

“A’ight. We’re droppin’ it. Consider it dropped.”

Glitch mutters something in Korean. Mo, having dabbled in Korean to feel a little closer to his protege, recognizes it as ‘wow, I can’t believe this’. One of the many things Mo adores about his dance partner: his tendency to fall back into his native language whenever he’s frustrated, worried, angry or incredibly happy. “Here I am, thinkin’ about everything we’ve been through, in a _good_ way, and you’re always waitin’ fer me to jump ship ‘n bail. I don’t know how many times I’m gonna hafta t’ tell you this, Mo, but I’ll tell you this until I’m blue in the face. I ain’t goin’ anywhere.” 

Mo knows that. He knows it, feels it, breathes it. But then there’s the truth he’s withholding. Emilia and Bodie’s warning. Knowing that Glitch was once in love with him, but backed down for reasons that spiraled beyond his control. If the truth is spoken, will that one line, that one verse, be broken? Beyond repair? Is it possible to feel like you’re being pulled in a billion different directions, all at once? Can you hold onto the past and cling to the future, all at the same time? Doesn’t help that Glitch is seeing right through him. Luckily-

Mo’s phone rings. Someone up there must’ve felt sorry for him.

His partner-in-crime eyes him as the call unfolds. Curiosity erupts on Glitch’s face, intensifying as the call approaches the end. The conversation feels familiar, very much like the ones he heard during Dance Central 3. Once his mentor ends the call, the Brea gives him a look of immense astonishment. “G, yer not gonna believe this, but-”

“But _what?”_

“That was _Rasa.”_


	3. ...comes around.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After not hearing anything from DCI for months on end, Mo and the others rush to answer a call from headquarters. What awaits them surprises them beyond words-and threatens to bring a rivalry to a head.

_”G, yer not gonna believe this, but…”_

_”But what?”_

_”That was Rasa.”_

\------------------------------------------------------

_Quicker than any of us could blink, we found ourselves headin’ back up to headquarters. Our old stompin’ grounds. Digs we ain’t looked at in ages. I dunno how long it’s been since we’ve all been together like this, and it’s probably been even longer since we’ve seen anythin’ havin’ to do with DCI, but here we are again. Goin’ back into time, but at the same time, movin’ forward. With none of us knowin’ what to expect. I’m definitely feelin’ lost. I mean, I’ve been havin’ so many thoughts lately, about what could happen, about what’s goin’ on, about everyone we ain’t heard about in a long while, but I can’t put my finger on none of this._

_We’re all headin’ up to see our old friends Rasa and Lima now. Lemme try to make sense of this, as much as I can, before things really get out of control. Rasa hit me up to tell me there’s finally some shit goin’ on. A whole lot of it, tell ya the truth. Apparently, there’s been a whole lotta requests fer a reunion. It’s been way too long since we’ve hit the stage, and the public’s gettin’ restless. Yeah, we’ve all been pretty busy with our own social media accounts, and while that’s been doin’ some good, it ain’t been enough. There’s a whole world of people out there, waitin’ fer us, and DCI figured it’s time for us to get back on track. I dunno to what extent-I guess that’s part of what we’re about to find out. But it’s happenin’. We’re about to go back to where we were before. We’re about to do what we’ve been waitin’ to do fer so long. And lemme tell ya, it’s exciting. But at the same time-_

_I dunno what to expect. I’m runnin’ through a billion possibilities in my mind, but I can’t put my finger on a single one of ‘em._

_My main man Glitch is right here with me, but, of course, so are my thoughts. I ain’t been able to stop thinking about what Bodie and Emi told me earlier, y’know? About how my main man once felt something for me, but buried it and moved on because I’m carryin’ too much damn baggage. It ain’t somethin’ he wants to interfere with, and I don’t blame him. I don’t know how much longer I can’t keep this all under wraps, though. Right from the word ‘go’, he’s been my better half. My air when breathing was unbearable. We get into it sometimes, but it ain’t nothin’ like Coy and I used to get into, y’know? It’s different. He only gets into it with me because he cares about me. It ain’t the way it used to be-and I like that. Can’t tell you how much I like that. But can I let my main man know that? And why is it that I’m still carryin’ this damn baggage, anyway? Ain’t it time fer me to let this shit go, once ‘n for all?_

_Well, Taye and Rasa always get on my case fer worryin’ myself into an early grave, and carryin’ around shit I ain’t got no business carryin’ around. Mom ‘n Pops always told me I had a habit of thinkin’ too much about certain things, and I guess I never paid ‘em too much attention. So much fer me bein’ what they called ‘a golden child’. And I got a feelin’ things are about to snowball pretty quick._

Mo heads off the elevator alongside the rest of his friends. Their hearts beat in unison and their minds race, wondering where their next steps are bound to take them. It’s strange, exhilarating, terrifying and wonderful, being back together, after spending so many months living separate lives. Sure, they kept up with each other through their social media accounts, text messages and phone calls, but nothing’s like being so close together. There’s no other experience that even comes close to having their hearts beat as one, their minds racing with adrenaline. Blood pumping, souls bumping against beats that were seconds away from being born. And in the moment they came back together, reunited for the first time in months, they felt as if they had never been separated. Felt as if nothing had ever been put on hold, nothing had ever stopped. It feels so right, stepping back into Dance Central Intelligence’s headquarters as one. But what to expect? All of the sudden, each and every one of them were summoned by Rasa and Lima, after DCI being dormant for so long? The possibilities are endless and maddening.

Mo, despite his mind racing with adrenaline and panic, draws immense comfort from being in the company of his friends. Glitch is at his side, as he has been for so many years-but as of late, he hasn’t only been a source of comfort, but also Mo’s greatest source of panic. It makes unspoken confessions and worries a little easier to deal with, having the other crews near him once again. Bodie, Emilia, Angel, Aubrey, Taye and even Lil T, out on school vacation-all of them were there, all of them were able to answer Rasa and Lima’s call. Oblio’s absent-understandably so, still dealing with the timestream, keeping the timelines, Power Moves and his father in line. Kerith and Jaryn are missing, still up to mischief no one knows anything about. Hopefully safe and not causing too much trouble. And of course-

D-Coy isn’t there either.

It feels as though they never left. There’s still a sensual sense of adventure, dark, deep and enticing, flowing through the headquarter’s veins. The enigmatic agents greet them with quick and silent but warm waves. Mo, being DCI’s future commander, gets an abundance of silent but reverent greetings. Excitement flows through the crews’ veins like blood, electric and life-giving, but there’s unfortunately very little time to enjoy it. Rasa and Lima approach the sea of astonished faces, which has DCI’s future leader at its front. Fortunately, Angel leaps forward and establishes a sense of normalcy, rushing to sweep Rasa into his arms.

 _”Ah! Mi amado!_ How I have missed you! It’s been far too long since-”

Mo, Emilia and Lil T can’t help but chuckle over a familiar sight-Angel leaping forward to give his long-time crush Rasa a hug, only to have the latter slam a palm against Angel’s face. Mo quickly recaps the way things have been between them: right from the word ‘go’, Angel’s been smitten with Lima’s counterpart. It was definitely love at first sight, and from the looks of things, nothing has changed. “Nice to see all of you again,” Rasa greets them, his warm and velvety voice washing over them like a much-needed blanket. It’s like stargazing on a calm evening, listening to him speak-even more so now. 

Lima steps forward, her faithful tablet in hand. Not much has changed with her either-she still has that mischievous, entrancing flare about her. What a relief to see some things hadn’t changed, despite so much being up in the air. “Can’t tell you how wonderful it is to have you all here. Welcome back,” she beams at them. She and her other half merrily accept greetings from the crews, Hi-Def included, despite Mo having about a billion knots in his stomach. For a moment in time, they’re one, they’re family again, back home and warm. But then Aubrey breaks the reunion’s mood with a question that’s bothering all of them.

“Thrilled to be back. Totally. But what’s going on? Don’t tell me old man Tan’s up to his old tricks again.”

“Wouldn’t mind if he _was_ up to his old tricks again,” Taye puts in, folding her arms. “It’s been way too damn since we’ve heard anything from the old coot. Obi, too. _Please_ tell us that’s what this is all about.”

Bodie speaks next, his face wreathed in worries. “Or is the Chief in danger? No one’s after him, are they?” Mo throws his old friend a warm smile, as he is the ‘Chief’ Bodie always speaks of, being DCI’s future supervisor. It’s hard to make sense of it all, even still, but somehow, teeny tiny Mo got himself caught up in a cosmic battle of song and dance. His father was killed while on duty as a DCI agent, there was something special about the dance moves he inherited and still hasn’t awakened, forces that have yet to be understood were after him-Glitch’s partner quickly tries to recap how he ended up becoming Bodie’s ‘Chief’, but finds himself getting an even bigger migraine than usual. Best to keep his mind on what’s unfolding. And fortunately, he doesn’t seem to be taking center stage this time around. “Not this time, sugar plum,” Lima assures Bodie and the others, tapping away on her tablet with another one of her winning smiles.

“We know you’re all itching to get back out there on the front lines. Have to make sure we keep the Chief and timestreams safe, right? Luckily, we don’t have to worry about Mo for the time being. We still haven’t heard anything out of Dr.Tan, the Glitterati or Oblio.”

“These days, we just take ‘no news is good news’ and run away with it,” Rasa adds on, Angel gazing upon him in worship all the while. “We’re just as restless as you all are, waiting for Tan or someone else to spring back into action, but as of yet, we ain’t got nothing on ‘em. So while everything remains quiet, we’ve got other business to attend to.”

With a couple of button presses, images burst to life on the main base’s large monitors. Many of them are recognized, many of them causing Mo to wince as a great deal of them are from Glitch’s TikTok account. An account that’s experienced rampant popularity as of late-much to his horror. “The public is still dazzled by all of your mad skills,” Lima tells them, her voice an engaging flow of rhythm and wine. “You’ve all been doing an _incredible_ job of keeping the public’s support skyhigh, despite Dance Central being on an indefinite hiatus. Glitch, you in particular have become quite the rockstar. All of your social media accounts have amassed quite an impressive fanbase.”

Rasa takes the baton, pressing another button, which results in only two dancers being left on screen: 

Glitch and Maccoy.

“Which brings us to where we are right now.” 

Mo’s heart goes through a roller coaster drop that must last at least two minutes. All eyes are on a bewildered Glitch, who awaits the future with bated breath and a ready spirit. For what seems like an eternity, Mo and the others wait, their eyes locked on a young man that has come such a long way. In that moment, Glitch’s face is framed with anxiousness but the courage one needs to confront even the tallest of mountains, and it is in that moment a certain someone realizes something. He really _has_ fallen in love with the young man that has come so far. “You all remember how this works, right?” Rasa asks while approaching Mo’s partner. 

“Requests from your fans pour in, from all over the globe. You answer the most popular requests by takin’ to the stage and doin’ your thing.”

Lima speaks next as the images continue to play, and Mo’s heart continues to plummet. “We’ve not only gotten an enormous pool of requests asking for all of you to do your thing, but for a certain duo to have it out on the stage. Front and center.”

Quite possibly the _worst_ thing Mo could have heard.

Concerned, loving eyes quickly turn to Mo. The public knows bits and pieces of what’s going on-of how Mo and Coy were friends for ten years before making the decision to date, and then things between them came to a sudden end. What the public _doesn’t_ know is how things came to an end, why things came to an end-come to think of it, the public is in the dark just as much as Mo is. Fans all over the globe also sensed that Glitch started off with a puppy crush on his mentor, then began to carry deeper feelings towards Mo, once the third season of Dance Central rolled around. Wanting to see the culmination of Glitch’s crush, and the unresolved tension between Mo and Coy, the public apparently wants the two of them to finally take the stage. For the first time in Dance Central history. The public always eats up love triangles.

Mo just wishes he wasn’t at the center of this one.

Angel takes quick note of his old friend’s distress and steps forward. “But _mi querido,”_ he begins, speaking to Rasa. “Have you even heard anything from Coy? It’s been so long!”

“Yeah, th’ piece o’ shit’s busy, ain’t he?” Taye asks, hands on her hips, no small amount of scorn going towards the missing breaker. Mo’s been like a little brother to her, since Dance Central’s humble beginnings, and _no one_ messes with her family. “Flyin’ around in the timestream? Bein’ a DJ or whatever?”

Able to taste the tension in the room, Lima takes on a slightly apprehensive, worried look. Her voice softens as she wants to take great care in moving forward. “Both, actually, but…”

 _”Privet vsem! Privet vsem!_ How’s it goin’, bitches?”

Mo’s heart undergoes a ten mile roller coaster drop. All eyes dart over to two figures standing several feet behind their group, having come up from the elevator, and those two figures are none other than Dare and Maccoy. Figures that haven’t been seen ever since the end of Dance Central 3. Several things happen at once: the tension in the room becomes thick enough to be cut with a butcher knife, Emilia, Aubrey and Taye move in front of Mo, their eyes flashing with wildfire, and Glitch’s eyes become cyanide. Mo offers Coy his usual greeting, along with the nickname he has reserved for Coy and only Coy, his mouth as dry as sandpaper.

“Hey, kid. How’s it goin’?”

If looks could kill, Glitch would have killed Coy the second he arrived in the room. Mo’s partner appears to be quiet and simply observant, but is waiting for the perfect time to strike. Without mercy. He’s there all right, the charismatic, bubbly, radiant DJ in all of his effervescent glory, and he’s seconds away from having his neck snapped like a Twix bar. “Pretty good, Princess,” Coy beams at Mo, giving him a fist bump, just as radiant as the first kisses of Autumn. Meanwhile-

Glitch and Taye look ready to rip his throat out with their bare hands.

Dare’s eyes sweep over the crews, quiet, unreadable, with a dash of secretive mischief. Coy greets the other crews in the same hearty, warm manner as he does Mo, seemingly oblivious to the colossal tension growing even stronger. Once he turns to Mo’s partner, tension goes through the roof, Mo’s eyes dart between Glitch and Coy-and Glitch is seconds away from wrenching the other’s eyes out. “Hey there, _pchelka,”_ Coy beams at him, punching him in the shoulder.

Glitch doesn’t move.

“Yer lookin’ pretty good these days,” Coy continues to glow unabashedly, then turns back to a panic-stricken Mo. “Mo, yer little nickel’s turned into quite a dime. Must be pretty proud, yeah?”

“You don’t know the _half_ of it, kid,” Mo mutters, heart racing, mouth becoming even drier, just wishing everything would stop and he’d wake up from this nightmare. As wonderful as it is having everyone back together again, things are definitely going in the wrong direction. And-

They’re fated to get even worse.

Taking a complete set of notes on the situation at hand, Rasa and Lima quickly return to the forefront of things. “We’ve gotten a pretty hefty batch of requests askin’ you guys to head to the Hollywood Bowl,” Rasa informs them. “You’re all gonna go up to bat. Even you, T.” And at that, the once-benched T turns to Taye with a glowing grin.

Lima takes her turn. “We were lucky enough to have D-Coy pull to the side for a while, so filling a certain request won’t be too much of a headache. In the past, fans asked Mo and Coy to duke it out against each other on the stage, but with our little prodigy blossoming like a butterfly out of a cocoon, they figured it’s time to take things up a notch. Glitch and Maccoy are going to take center stage, but everyone’s been _dying_ to see _all_ of you in action again. So we’ve taken the time to have everything set in place for our very first Reunion Special. If you’re all up to the challenge, you’ll hit the ground running in a week. I know I don’t have to worry about any of you being rusty, so I know you’ll make us proud.”

Mo doesn’t waste another second in voicing his thoughts. “There ain’t nothin’ else that c’n be done?” he asks pleadingly, eyes directed at Rasa, someone he has always seen as another father. Rasa and Lima exchange fretful, affectionate glances with each other, having a tender spot for their future commander, neither of them enjoying the sight of their Mo in obvious distress. Lima opens her mouth to offer an apology, but Glitch cuts in, eyes and voice laden with enough cyanide to kill an entire room of people in seconds.

“What’s the matter, Momo? Don’t want me t’ take down yer boy?”

Mo’s response is immediate, laden with surprise, as Glitch snarling at him doesn’t happen very often. It rarely happens at all. “That ain’t even _close_ to what I’m thinkin’, G,” the breaker frantically explains. Eyes dart back and forth between Glitch, Coy and Mo, anxious to see where the next couple of seconds lead them. Mo tries to continue, tries to explain that this is _definitely_ not the way he wants things to go, but then Coy cuts in with a bubbly: 

“Don’t worry yer pretty little head over this shit, Princess! I’m game. You know me-I ain’t ever been one to back off of a challenge. And I’ve been lookin’ forward t’ squarin’ off against yer little kitten fer quite some time.”

Glitch gives Coy a look that would’ve frightened a full-grown Cane Corso. He then turns to Mo, eyes flashing with the same venomous poison.

“Y’know how yer always worryin’ about me takin’ charge, Mo? Well, guess what. Ain’t no time like th’ present, they always say.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Headcanons say that Coy speaks with a Russian accent, and falls back on the Russian language whenever he’s angry, upset or happy, just as Glitch naturally speaks Korean whenever his emotions are intense. The Russian phrase ‘privet vsem’ is ‘hey, everyone’ in English, and came from Google Translate. ‘Mi querido’, according to Google Translate, is Spanish for ‘my beloved’, and ‘mi amado’ means ‘my darling’.
> 
> Coy uses the pet name ‘pchelka’, which means ‘little bee’ in Russian.
> 
> Headcanons also say that Angel has had the biggest crush on Rasa ever since they met at the beginning of Dance Central 3. The relationship he shares with Aubrey is like that of a playful little brother and bossy big sister. 
> 
> Headcanons also say that each dancer has a TikTok account, Glitch’s being the most active and the most popular TikTok account among them. Present-day Mo dances a little, but mostly sticks to Q&A sessions. 
> 
> Thank you for being here. I hope you find something to enjoy here. Please be well and stay safe.


	4. One Step Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The briefing on the crews’ newest adventure continues. Glitch and Coy finally approach the showdown that’s been years in the making, and Mo’s definitely on edge. Will Glitch and Coy manage to get through the briefing without tearing each other apart?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Thank you for joining yet another chapter of ‘Yes, This Series Won’t Leave Me Alone, Even Though I Never Had an XBOX to Play it On’. With another version of this storyline, ‘Halfcrazy’, being right on the front page and written three years ago, I just knew I had to get this out of my system one way or another. So here I am, hoping you enjoy what is to come.
> 
> This chapter was named after a Linkin Park song. This chapter sees Mo interact more with the other characters. I always had and still have him as the Sailor Moon of the group, the character that’s doted on by everyone else. For some reason, I latched onto Mo as soon as I was introduced to Dance Central 1. Hence, him becoming ‘the Princess of DCI’ and ending up with this weighty destiny. I don’t know why it wasn’t Coy, Oblio or Angel-it just ended up being Mo. And I regret nothing.
> 
> When I write the dialogue, I hear the characters’ voices in my head. I love writing Rasa because he has such a warm voice to go along with his warm personality. Writing Glitch is also bunches of fun because he’s pissed off in this chapter. 
> 
> Angel refers to Aubrey as ‘mi alma’, which means my soulmate (according to languageholic.com). But personal headcanons have him romantically smitten with Rasa. He shares a platonically intimate relationship with Aubrey.
> 
> Thank you for being here. Stay safe.

Tension wages war with uncertainty. The air is inhospitable, heavy with the great unknown, as all await the future with bated breath. No bars are between them; they’re all on the edge of an era, about to see the culmination of so many years, so much heartbreak and confusion, take shape. The world is rattled, its splintered nerves dangling over flame as two dancers stare each other down. It is in a world high among the stars they assess each other, Glitch and Coy, the former’s eyes made of cyanide, while Coy’s are enigmatic. Mo feels completely and utterly helpless as the worst possible situation unfolds right before his very eyes: his long-time friend and ex-boyfriend is in a stand-off with his wingman, his partner, the core of his very being. The very same young man he happens to be in love with. Mo always knew he had a knack for attracting some particularly strong bad luck, but this quite possibly has to be the _worst_ case of bad luck he’s had so far.

And he had the nerve to think there was even a _little_ chance they’d become friends. Maybe not in this lifetime. 

It doesn’t help that there’s something _odd_ about Maccoy. Not that he’s ever been one to adhere to norms; there’s always been the off-beat, vibrant flair about him. An electric dash of charisma and finesse. Eccentric, magical charm that was all his own. It was one of the many things that drew Mo to Coy like a moth to the flame. But his charm isn’t off-putting. It’s the clear _absence_ of the charm, that magic, that sweet flare that used to light up his eyes like Christmas trees. Sure, it’s Maccoy, standing only a few inches away from a quietly livid Glitch, but it doesn’t feel like Maccoy. Not at all like the Coy he knew.

Not at all like the Coy he misses. 

It happened during Dance Central 3, too. D-Coy made a brief appearance, momentarily setting aside their duties as S-rank Dance Central Intelligence agents to greet the other crews. It was the first time he had seen Mo in what felt like years, but their reunion was far from happy. It fell more along the lines of ‘awkward’, with Coy smiling just as he is now. Sure, he was cheerful, sweet and charming, but everything about him felt _terrifying._ Strange. As though it wasn’t Coy at all. And something is still abnormal about the blonde breaker’s presence. It’s difficult to put his finger on, but along with everything else, Mo finds the changes in his old friend unsettling. Taking quick note of Mo’s distress, Bodie and Angel settle comforting hands on their friend’s shoulders, their faces warm, loving pictures of concern. Understanding.

Rasa and Lima take quick notes of the atmosphere, but as always, they remain calm. Just as serene as the first notes of a moon-kissed lullaby. All a part of the training: remain completely calm, even in the most stressful environments. Failing to do so would result in other agents and possibly even the _base_ falling apart-and if the look on Glitch’s face is any indication, the base could quite possibly burn down in a matter of minutes. “As you know, you’re more than welcome to prepare for the reunion here,” Lima tells the group, facing them with a quiet but warm smile.

“Or you’re more than welcome to return home. We’d be happy to have you here, of course, but you’re free to prepare for the special as you see fit. Once the time arrives, we’ll have all of you escorted to the Hollywood Bowl.”

“I’ll be there with all of you,” Rasa assures them, while tapping away on a nearby keyboard, bringing up images of the Hollywood Bowl on the base’s many screens. “Lima will be runnin’ the ship from here. Gotta make sure headquarters is covered, just in case somethin’ goes down.”

“Right, because an event of this magnitude is _sure_ to generate some pretty mad buzz in the timestream,” Emilia ponders, rubbing her chin. Aubrey takes the baton next, twisting a lock of her hair with a finger. “And with all of the hubbub going on, some low-down _creep_ is going to be eyeballing our Mo.”

Valid concerns. Mo winces, not only dealing with Glitch wanting to pull Coy’s lungs through his nose, but also with being Dance Central Intelligence’s future commander. And with DCI having been dormant for quite some time, and Dr.Tan being quite for a while-someone’s _bound_ to strike during the reunion. They’re at least considering an assault, and with Mo bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders, the possibility is enough to keep them all on high alert. It’s still difficult for him to put the pieces of the puzzle together, even though it’s a destiny he’s been dealing with for quite some time. Apparently, there’s something about him and his sleeping Power Moves being enough to shape the future, if anything happens to him, there’s no future and the planet blows up-

As if he doesn’t already have _enough_ to deal with.

Lima beams at Aubrey and Emilia, trusty tablet in hand. “You got it. D-Coy’s usually front and center when it comes to security, but with them being involved in the reunion, we’ve got to pull out all stops. Now, unless the audience demands a longer special, the reunion is set to last four hours. During those four hours, we have to make sure our darling Princess stays safe, all the while giving the crowd what they want. It’s a risky juggle, especially since there hasn’t been any activity for a while, but I think we’ve got what it takes to pull it off.”

Mo’s eyes dart between Coy and Dare, the former suddenly solemn, eyes glazed over in deep thought. It’s as though he’s calculating something, diving deep into a mystery that commands every bone, rhythm and thought. There’s something else-he’s completely in sync with his partner. They’re communicating with each other just by standing next to each other. The kind of harmony Mo felt he was _never_ able to achieve with Coy, despite them sharing bowls of cereal for years on end, afternoon dance-offs and a one-bedroom apartment. “What about th’ gates?” the blue-eyed breaker asks. Must have had something to do with their security detail. Mo remembers hearing something about gates a couple of times; things that were set up to deter Dr.Tan or anyone else from hacking into the timestream. Causing irreparable damage to the timestream would cause all sorts of paradoxes, thus throwing all forms of rhythm and dance out of orbit, thus endangering a certain Princess-

Yep, definitely too much to think about. Especially with Glitch seconds away from body-slamming Coy into the ground. Fortunately, Rasa supplies Coy with an answer he deems satisfactory. He and Dare exchange a look that’s unreadable to the rest of them, but most likely speaks a thousand volumes in their enigmatic world. 

Bodie squeezes Mo’s shoulder. The Brea clamps his hand onto his friend’s hand and returns the squeeze. Lil T looks up into Mo’s face worriedly, her vibrant brown eyes simultaneously asking him if he’s all right, and if he wouldn’t mind _her_ body-slamming Coy into the ground. Meanwhile, Rasa and Lima tap away on the nearby keyboards, bringing up more images of the Hollywood Bowl, fan mail and videos of the crews’ old performances. Taye, Angel and Aubrey are suddenly taken aback, gasping, biting their bottom lips as memories take shape, right before their very eyes. “You probably remember how this goes, but we’ll give you a refresher course,” Lima tells them. “Each crew’s segment, unless the audience asks for an encore, will last fifteen minutes. From that point on, our two stars will take center stage. Once Glitch and Coy take over, we’ll need all of you to remain on high alert. I don’t think I need to remind any of you of what will happen if we lose our Princess.”

“You know how things work around here,” Rasa adds. “Anything and everything can happen. Just because you’ll be off the stage, doesn’t mean you’ll be able to let your guard down. If any of you have any questions about the reunion, feel free to send ‘em our way now.”

Lima frowns, directing soft concern at Mo. “I think I may have one. Mo, will you be able to take part in your crew’s segment? You’re looking a _little_ nervous.”

The Brea’s response is immediate. “A _little?”_ He laughs, but the sound is about a billion miles away from cheerful. “Y’think? Not only do I hafta deal with _these two cats-”_ Referencing Glitch and Coy with a wave of his hand. “-but I gotta make sure nothin’ happens t’ me because if it _does,_ Thanatos takes over the mother fuckin’ planet? Sorry, but I don’t think I got it in me t’ bust out a coupla moves right now!”

“That’s fine,” Glitch cuts in immediately, but everything’s about a billion miles away from fine. The poison in his eyes and tone proves it. “I’ll handle it. Ain’t nothin fer you t’ worry about, Momo.”

Coy’s smile reminds Mo of the edge of a knife. “Pretty feisty, _pchelka,”_ he purrs at Glitch. Mo’s protege bristles, hit by the second use of a nickname he doesn’t know the meaning of, but hates with a passion. “Looks like I’m in for a pretty interesting party. And I never pass up a party.”

 _”Not_ helpin’, kid,” Mo groans, shutting his eyes, a part of him wishing Thanatos _would_ blow them all into another dimension, because at least then he wouldn’t have to deal with the two most important pieces of his life wanting to go at each other’s throats. To make matters worse, Glitch starts asking Rasa and Lima about something. Wait-it’s something about the practice rooms aboard the base. “You can definitely book one of those,” Rasa tells Mo’s partner, sending the briefing even more into the wrong direction because if Mo’s memories are in order, DCI’s practice rooms-

“-are for any agent that wants to take their training to the next level,” Lima explains, inadvertently following up Mo’s thoughts. “With just the right amount of amenities, and tracks for your browsing pleasure, you’ll be right at home. Agents have used those rooms in the past to prepare for some pretty intense missions, so I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed.”

Rasa follows her. “While you’re workin’ on your footwork in there, you’ll be cut off from the rest of the world. Your training will only be cut short by an emergency, and have no fear-you need a special kind of license to operate the rooms. A license only Lima and I have.”

So that’s it, then. Mo’s partner asks Rasa and Lima to look after Mo in his place, then walks off. Without looking back. Glitch is seconds away from doing something Oblio used to do, to prepare for dance competitions: shut himself inside of a room, with only himself, his thoughts and beats for company. For a week.

A week.

Dare and Rasa are exchanging updates on their latest missions, Coy observing and listening all the while. She then mentions something about them going back out there until it’s time for the special, but Mo doesn’t catch all of it. He’s barely able to catch anything at all because Glitch, Glitch is on the verge of disappearing. For a week. 

There’s no time to think. He springs forward and catches his partner by the arm, his face surely aglow with panic, mind scrambling to make sense of something, anything at all. The air freezes as all eyes fall on them, the two halves of the Hi-Def crew, at the center of an unstable world. “Hold up, hold up, hold up,” the Brea pleads, his voice soft, rattled. Eyes, save for Coy’s and Dare’s, dart back and forth between Glitch and Mo as a conversation quickly unfolds. Coy and Dare, all the while, shadow the group, exchanging glances only they can understand.

Glitch wrenches his hand out of Mo’s, eyes still on fire. “Look, Mo, ain’t nothin’ you c’n say or do is gonna make me change my mind. Got it?”

“But you don’t get it, G!”

“No, I _do_ get it,” his partner fires back, not wasting a second in doing so. “You don’t want me t’ take down yer boy ‘cuz there’s still somethin’ there. You still care about the cat. And I thought about it. I thought about walkin’ away ‘n lettin’ you do yer thing, but ya know what? I ain’t, because every time you even _think_ about that piece o’ shit you get this look on yer face. I ain’t one t’ back down, Mo. You know this. You know _me._ I definitely ain’t backin’ off of some cat that screwed you over. Sorry _not_ sorry.”

Mo tries to offer more of an explanation behind his reluctance over the entire episode, but Glitch storms off, determined to lose himself in song, step and anger. Lil T watches her old friend melt into DCI’s dark distance, Emilia, Bodie and Taye give Mo looks of immense concern, and Angel turns to Aubrey with an anxious smile.

“Well, _mi alma,_ you _were_ complaining about it being a little too quiet.” 

D-Coy shares another enigmatic, quiet conversation with Lima before walking off. Their departure is made without another word going to any of the other crews-they disappear very much like shadows, swept away into the wind. Coy doesn’t even glimpse at Mo, but for some reason, the other breaker can’t brush off the feeling of being watched. Nor can he brush off the sting of a thousand unanswered questions. Taye gives a gentle frown to her old friend Mo, setting a comforting hand on his back. “You okay, tiger?” she asks, using an old, familiar nickname. He takes her hand and squeezes it. Hard.

“Yeah. I mean, everything’s goin’ apeshit berserk, Incredible Hulk _crazy,_ but y’know, I’m cool. Cool as ice, sis. Chill. Everything’s cool. I got this.”

Emilia shakes her head, her eyes aglow with worry and fondness. “Keep saying that, and maybe you’ll end up believing it, sweetie.”


	5. Faint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The love triangle Mo finds himself in is less than exciting, as he quickly finds out. With the Reunion Special a week away, Glitch begins preparations for what promises to be an epic duel-and Mo searches for answers. Unfortunately, he may not be able to endure the truth that awaits him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for being here. I hope you’re staying well and safe!
> 
> So, as I used to during Dance Central’s prime, I created an entire lore for Dance Central Intelligence and Mo’s destiny as DCI’s future commander. Some more of the lore is explained here. The dancing does not yet kick in, but I hope the events of this chapter will add enjoyable fuel to the fire. Meanwhile, I have yet to figure out how to translate dancing into words. I can envision everything perfectly in my head, music and choreography, but getting it written down? Might be a tad bit difficult. :)
> 
> This chapter was named after the Linkin Park song of the same name.
> 
> I’m glad I’m not alone in still enjoying Dance Central.

“Doesn’t work like that, Mo.”

Mo backs away from the door, eyes immersed in uneasiness. He returns to the world of velvet and blue calm, facing the figure that approaches him. Just a few moments ago, he tried to enter a world far away from his own, a world in which song and time exist in an enigmatic flow. In the world he tried to reach, there is nothing but song, thought and Glitch-the young man he needs to see, far more than he needs to breathe. The words he longs to say are scattered among anger, frustration, fear and hope, love and loneliness, but his keycard is adamant about keeping them apart. So close, and yet so far. Rasa approaches him as though he’s gliding across water, his shoulders framed in the main base’s soft twilight, aware of the fragile condition his friend’s heart is in. 

“Sorry, but you remember how it goes: Lima and I are the _only_ ones that can pull him outta there. You’re in line t’become my boss someday, but you can’t get your hands on _all_ of the toys yet.”

Lima’s partner stops once he’s right next to Mo. Both stand before the door that separates them from Glitch, the firebrand, the bolt of lightning that disappeared what seems like a few seconds ago. With everything moving at the speed of light, it’s difficult to keep track of things. Fortunately, Rasa is the person he has always been: warm, comforting and musical, like the first notes of Autumn. “These practice rooms are reserved for agents that want to up their game to the ultimate level,” he tells the younger dancer at his side. “Once they step in, there’s no turnin’ back. Of course, we break ‘em out of there if there’s an emergency-and Glitch told us to come get ‘im if things go South with you.”

The older half of Hi-Def winces. Funny. He found Glitch, cold, shivering and alone, but Glitch constantly steps up to the plate and carries _him_ to the finish line. So much for it being the other way around.

Rasa settles a palm on the door before them, eyes peering into a world Mo cannot see or comprehend. “Good thing our boy decided to hit up one o’ these rooms-he’s gonna need all of the prep time he can get. On the surface, they’re evenly matched. Both of them are pretty fierce fighters when it comes to the dance floor. But the fire brewin’ between th’ two of them won’t be an easy thing to channel into their performance. It’s definitely somethin’ that can get outta control, pretty quick. If your wing-man figures out a way to channel that anger _properly,_ though, he’ll have a leg up over Coy. We’re definitely lookin’ at a complex coin toss here.”

He then notes the distress on Mo’s face. His eyes and tone soften, becoming as soft as clouds. “What did you want to tell him?” 

“I dunno, man,” Mo sighs, bowing his head. Brown eyes are burdened with cosmic sadness and panic. A tornado of emotions and thoughts. “That he ain’t gotta go through with this because of everything _I_ went through. That I don’t want him t’become something he _ain’t,_ y’know? Because of the shit _I’m_ carryin’. I don’t want him t’ hate th’ kid. And, I dunno, man, I just…”

There’s something he wants to voice, but can’t. Emilia and Bodie’s warning echo in the deepest recesses of his mind, along with a thousand other memories. His thoughts trail off into a vortex of anxiousness and thoughts. Mo stands beside him in silence, but the panic pouring out of each and every crevice is overwhelming, vibrant, deafening. No words need to be spoken; Rasa has spent enough time with Mo to know what’s storming through his mind. There’s the upcoming duel between two people he’s incredibly close to, Glitch being in a world all his own, Coy once again disappearing without even a syllable of an explanation-the younger breaker feels as though he’s being pulled in fifty different directions. Unanswered questions are never joys to carry-especially when one is forced to carry them for a painfully long time. “I don’t think you have to worry about Glitch becoming someone you can’t recognize,” Rasa assures him, settling a comforting hand on the other’s back.

“He went through the wringer a couple of times, but came _out_ of the wringer better ‘n stronger than ever. And not _once_ did he ever leave your side. You know that as well as _I_ do, champ. You can ask him for the 411, but I don’t think any of that’s ever gonna change. We may go through our ups and downs-the world as we know it may change. But one thing you can always count on is this-the kind of person your partner is. The level of devotion and loyalty he’s shown.”

Mo frowns, spirit becoming even heavier. “Rasa, somethin’s botherin’ me about Coy. Well, about a _hundred_ things bother me when it comes t’ the kid, but...there was somethin’ different about him back there. Everything about ‘im just felt _off._ Like the Coy I knew really _is_ gone, y’know what I mean? I mean, he was there, but he really _wasn’t_ there at th’ same time. Everything about ‘im just felt so damn wrong, and I’m trying to figure out what happened. Was it somethin’ I said or did? I go over it, day after day, minute after minute, but I can’t ever get anywhere. And everytime I try to get something out of the’ kid, it don’t ever work. I know you’re workin’ pretty closely with D-Coy, and there’s probably some shit you can’t tell me because of timetables and paradoxes or whatever, but is there anything, _anything at all,_ you can tell me? About Coy? Please, anything at all. I’ll take it. Because I’ve been tryin’ to figure this shit out fer _years_ and I’ve gotten _nowhere.”_

Whether Rasa’s silent for a few seconds or an eternity, Mo can’t figure it out. He becomes even harder to reach than Glitch for that moment in time, face unreadable, mind and spirit immersed in impassable mysteries. While Lima’s partner is frozen in time, Mo feels that pushing him for more information is out of the question, as he’ll break the trance he’s in. When Rasa does speak, he does without facing Mo, and his voice has a slightly more menacing edge. The affection is still there, warm and infinite, but there’s something dangerous about the direction his tone is taking. As though he’s about to tread where no soul should _ever_ tread.

“Remember D-Coy bein’ on security detail?”

Mo assures him he does, remembering certain things Coy and Dare mentioned in the past, paradoxes and gates earning the two most recent mentions. The terms were mentioned without an abundance of details, still leaving Mo very much in the dark, but at least they were _something_ to go off of. Rasa faces him once he receives the assurance, his face solemn, very much like a dark horizon approaching an even darker thunderstorm. “Oblio, Dare ‘n Coy are keepin’ the timestreams safe,” he begins. “Not just from old man Tan, but from some pretty aggressive forces we call ‘anomalies’. We don’t know all there is to know about ‘em, but what we _have_ figured out is that anomalies come in all shapes and sizes. They can choose to come at us in the form of humans, cats, dogs-the world is their oyster. Regardless of whatever form they take, though, they’re pretty high on the scale when it comes to danger. And these anomalies are tryin’ t’ get t’ _you.”_

Mo stiffens.

“Anomalies are pretty aggressive forces that don’t take no for an answer, when it comes to sucking the galaxy dry of song and dance. Thanks to the reports D-Coy gives us on a regular basis, we know anomalies are far more aggressive than Tan could ever hope to be. The Glitterati can’t ever hope to come close to ‘em, either. When it comes to keeping the timestreams ‘n you safe from anomalies, we need the best of the best out there-and that’s where Dare ‘n Maccoy come in. They run regular maintenance on the timestreams and clean ‘em of the anomalies that fight t’ tear through ‘em. They’re only able to pull over for the reunion because things are pretty quiet right now-but they’ll still be on their A-game.”

Mo’s voice is shrill. “Where are these things comin’ from, anyway?”

A smile, warm and bittersweet, spreads across Rasa’s face. “That’s one o’ th’ many things we _haven’t_ been able to figure out yet. Here’s somethin’ else we _do_ know, though. They’re wraith-like creatures that feed off of the world’s dissonance, and they’re definitely _not_ from our world. If even _one_ of ‘em manages to sink their teeth into you, we’re _done._ Lookin’ after you hasn’t been an easy job, Mo-and it’s _not_ a job Coy was forced into.”

Rasa gives a loving pat to his friend’s shoulder, his face aglow with infinite concern and fondness. Mo gives him a look that breaks his heart-but he fights to keep his inner turmoil hidden. “Remember the Library?” he asks the younger dancer. 

“Well, your badge grants you access to a pretty hefty bank of records. You can’t get your hands on anything reserved for S-rank agents, but _somethin’_ in there should give you some of the answers you’re lookin’ for.”


	6. Side Chapter: Lu$h

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angel and Aubrey reflect on Mo's past with Coy, the upcoming Reunion Special, and those they left behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Thank you for joining yet another episode of 'Yes, This Series is STILL a Thing for Me'. I'm glad you're here.
> 
> This chapter focuses on Angel and Aubrey's feelings towards the situation at hand. I originally meant to have this project focus entirely on Mo, Glitch and Coy, but since Mo's close to all of the other characters, it wouldn't have felt right to exclude them from the main story. Besides, they're all such endearing characters. :)

“What are you doing here? I _thought_ you’d be out chasing Rasa. It _has_ been a while since you’ve seen him, after all.”

Angel enters the Lu$h crew’s assigned suite with a bittersweet smile. A thousand memories unfold right before his very eyes-his feet are now treading upon the base of countless adventures, monumental episodes that took place during Dance Central’s third season. Just a few seconds in the room has him in a vortex of emotion, all bound to the memories he holds dear. Tension, adrenaline, love and excitement clash against each other in a room of velvet blue, making it impossible to rest, reminding him of how they all rallied together to subdue Dr.Tan. And other forces they have yet to comprehend. It’s like trying to make sense of the most complex Calculus equation in a few seconds, trying to gather the pieces that have led them to this moment, especially since life was so quiet for so long. But it is there they face an uncertain future, Angel and Aubrey, along with the friends they hold so dear.

As the other crews did, the Lu$h crew accepted Rasa and Lima’s invitation to remain onboard prior to the Reunion Special. Being away from Dance Central Intelligence for so long led to an abundance of homesickness, feelings of helplessness and loneliness. It was as if they all had their cores torn out of them, being away from a place that felt like home. Rasa and Lima were definitely delighted to have them on-board, having missed them something fierce, and there has always been more than enough room for everyone. The amenities aboard DCI’s homebase are second to none; the suites, training rooms and break rooms are enough to have even the most luxurious of hotels quake in fear. But returning to a world that feels like home doesn’t allow them to be at rest. “I do not have it in me right now, _mi reina,”_ Aubrey’s partner sighs, shaking his head.

“It’s true-I’ve been away from that beautiful work of art for far too long. Unfortunately, I can’t get my mind off of what’s going on long enough to worship him. Our darling little Mo seems to have gotten himself in quite the mess, eh?”

His partner grimaces, face contorted by the embers of their current nightmare. The upcoming Hollywood Bowl Reunion Special promises to be fun, but there’s a rivalry taking center stage-and her long-time friend, Mo, is at its center. Thankfully Mo was able to get a little bit of a break from the tension, able to enjoy life and dance alongside _his_ partner, but it feels as though that break was an eternity ago. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, the sky caved in on all of them, tossed them all back into DCI headquarters, and made it impossible to breathe. “I couldn’t have said it better myself,” she groans, plopping her back against the bed. Her eyes melt into the unseen sky. 

“If you ask me, our darling Princess needs to eighty-six a certain someone and move on. Coy may have been a _little_ cool, way back when, and no, I don’t have all of the details, but now he’s nothing more than bad news.”

Angel sits beside her and follows her gaze. Memories, some sweet, most of them bittersweet, stream through his mind by the dozens as seconds fall off the clock. Quickly he remembers how he was once able to call Coy a friend-before happy days, songs and steps crumbled into ashes. “As much as it pains me to say this, I’m afraid it is impossible for me to argue with you,” he assures her. “I’m certain the tension between Coy and our Princess is _much_ deeper than we know. And love, ah, can be unbearably complicated. But the mere mention of our tiny DJ always causes Mo so much pain.”

He then beams at the friend beside him. “Ah, _mi corazon,_ I’m certain you’re satisfied. Once again, we are in the middle of another storm.”

A soft tint of sadness falls upon Aubrey’s face. “Hopefully we’ll be seeing the end of _this_ particular storm pretty soon.”

“I believe it’s safe to assume we’re _both_ rooting for Glitch, then? What a thrill, knowing our hearts and minds are as one.”

Angel is struck with a pillow shortly thereafter, launched by the one and only Aubrey. “How could you _not_ root for him? Out of the three of them, he’s the only one that makes any sense,” she admits, rolling her eyes. A moment of silence passes between them, in a world of velvet blue and gentle stars, before she directs the conversation into a new direction. 

“How’s your grandmother, by the way? She gonna be alright on her own?”

He tosses her a smile aglow with fondness and gratitude. “She’s _always_ alright, _mi princesa._ As sweet as can be, but has enough bite to subdue dragons. I owe my undeniably incredible charm and finesse to her, and to all of the other lovely women of my family. Which brings me to my concern, Aubrey. What about your old man?”

She shuts her eyes, suddenly overcome by memories, adrenaline, anticipation. “Yeah, well, I’m a little more worried about Mo and Glitch at this point. Daddy has quite a few things in common with your grandma. As for us…”

She rises to her feet with a mischievous smile. “Why don’t you and I grab a bite to eat? Neither one of us is going to sleep, any time soon. And we both know the food here can’t be beat. I know you’d rather grab something to eat with Rasa, but-”

Angel is at her side in a heartbeat, beaming from ear to ear. “Never mind, my fair Queen. There will be _plenty_ of time for me to woo the man of my dreams. For now, let us enjoy the magic the night brings to us.”

**Author's Note:**

> Even though the series has been pretty quiet for an excruciatingly long time, even with the Oculus release, I still find myself thinking back on it fondly. I was a part of the Dance Central fandom during its prime-I even ran a Dance Central group called Route-Rendez-Vu. I wrote Dance Central fanfiction and referred to Mo as 'the Princess of Dance Central Intelligence'. 
> 
> Part of my reason for taking another shot at Dance Central fanfiction, in the year 2020 (BEST YEAR EVER), is so at least ONE person will read this and go 'wow, she's still at it'. There were so many amazing artists and writers in that fandom. I've got to run into at least one of them here. But even if I don't, if this manages to make even one person's day, I'll be fine. That's what I want to do, after all. 
> 
> Make people smile.


End file.
